Harold d



H. D. CHURCH.

GEAR SHFTING IVIECHANISN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I2. I9I5.

Ylntcned Nw. 11, 1919,

UNITE! sTATns r TTETIT erstes.

.t HAROLD CHURCH, OF DETROIT,A MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 PACKARD MOTOR CR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

GEAR-SHIFTING MECHANISM.

ltrated iform ofthe invention'h'erein three shifter elements are shown, each of these elements being adapted to shift eitherin4 one or two directions from a 4central or neutral position. If applied to a four speed and reverse gear box, two of these elements A would operate in two opposite directions froin neutral to engage the four forward speed gears, and the .third would operate in one direction only from neutral to engage the reverse gear.

`One of the objects of the invention is to provide a gear shifting mechanism o'f simple form, IthatJends itself well to economiand with eertaint and precision.

Other objects o the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection withthe drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section 'taken` through the upper part f a casing which forms a support for the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 with parts in diiferent positions;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an underneath view of the operating arm and locking bolt shown in Fig. 1. v

. Referring to the drawings, the support or casing for the mechanism is shown as formed in two parts the lower or main part 10 and the upper or cover part 11. The

cover part closes the opening 12 'formed in'- Suitably the main part of the casing'. mounted in one part of the casing, the main part for instance, are shifter elements, 13. Three such elements are showi'and theyare arranged to slide on parallell rods l4 isnit ably supported in the casing. Each 'Tof these;

shifter elements has an arm lwlrich is v adapted to shift ,a gear or gearqneansiira V well known manner. Each of these elemente Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led vApril 12, 1915. Serial No. 20,849.

also has a part lo in which is ,the shifter 'elements are arranged in the cas;

and that operates easily The arm 18 has a part 22 which is Patented Nov. tt, T939.

an upwardly opening engaging notch 1?" for a shifting means hereinafter described.` lt will be undei-stood tliatthcse notches are arranged adjacent each other. and inv line when the that said elements are adapted to be shifted on the rods'll in either direction from said neutral position.v lt will be seen also that ing immediately beneath thev opening 12 whereby they may be readilyy accessible and may be engaged by the shifting means which is shown as mounted upon and removable and replaceable with the cover or casing part 11.

The shifting means above refer-red to comprises an arm 1S secured to and operated by a rock shaft 19 which rocks and slides axially in suitable bushings 2() -in the cover 1].. lt is yieldingly positioned by a spring pawl 19 operating in notches 19. A hand operating lever 21 is secured to the project@k ing end of the rock shaft and it will be understood that byl means of this lever the roc t shaft, and with it the arin 18, may7 be shifted axially of the shaft and rocked in the bushings 20.

adapted to enter or engage in the several notches 1i' to thereby engage-and shift the shifter elements one at a time. This part is no wider than the notches 1T vso that when 1n full engagen'ient with one shifter element it cannot be in engagement with any. other such-element.

It is desirable in this iclass of mechanism to positively C,lock the shifter elements that are not engaged by the shifting means to thereby prevent theaccidental ineshiiigiH of more than one gear combination. Tn the present invention a locking device is mounted in the part of the casing that supports, the arm 18 and it coperatcs with saidarm and with the notches in the shifter elements,l

This device is shown as comprising a bolt 23 of tubular form, mounted to slide in brackets 24, 25, keys 26 preventing the bolt from turning in the brackets. These brack-v ets may be integral with the cover or detachable therefrom, as shown. bolts 27 -se- ,curing them in place.

The bolt 23l when in position is arranged above the shifting elements end transversely thereto and has parts or lugs 28, 29,?1adapted 'to enter the notches 110 shifter elements are in neutral position, and 6-0 17 of said elements. These lugs are separated by a notch or opening formed in the bolt, this notch 30 being slightly wider than one of the parts 16 so that these parts may operate freely one at a time between the lugs. The lugs are of sutiicient length to simultaneously engage 4and lock two of the shifter elements as shown inFig. 2.

Also it will be seen that the notch 30 is sufliciently deep to take a part 31 of the arm 18 and permit said arm to oscillate freely with its arc shaped part 31 in said notch 30, so that the lateral 'movements of the arm 18 will carry the locking bolt 23 with it and hold it in Vlocking position while the arm is in engagement with and shifting the element not engaged bythe lugs 28, 29 of said bolt. Thus in Fig. 1, the arm 18, part lugs 28 and 29 respectively.

, are locked by the lug 29. The third position is not shown kbut it is evident that the arm may be shifted to engage the right hand shifter element and the lug 28 will then lock the other-two elements.

It is evident thatI the shifter elements and thev rods upon which they slide, are assem-4 Syebled in one part of the casing and all of the other operating mechanism is assembled in the other part'of the casing. Thus with the shifter elements in place and in neutral position, the cover or upper part of the casing with all of its mechanism in place and in neutral position may be placed on the cas-' ing and bolted down, and in doing this, the

part 22 will enter the notch in the intermediate shifter element, and the lugs 28 and 29 engage in the respective notches of the two fother shifting elements.` Obviously, it is an easy matter to assemble the various opera-ting' parts in their respective supports when the two parts of the casing are sepa-l rated.

It is desirable thatthe arm 18 be yieldingly held in intermediateor neutral position, also that as soon as said arm has been initially-moved from said intermedate`position toward one of its gear shifting positions, it shall yieldingly be pressed toward said gear shifting position. Means for this purpose are Aprovided in connection with the locking bolt and the arc shaped part 31 of the' arm 18. It will be understood that this part 31 operates constantly in the notch30 formed in the locking bolt-and shown,

the part 31 is formed with a slight central depression 32 and tapering or wedge-like surfaces 33 extending from the central depression 32 in both directions. The face or surface 34 which is yopposite the inclined l ,locking bolt.'

On the opposite side of the' part 31 from the roller 35 is another roller 36 mounted in a sliding block 37 and adapted to op-,.

erate on the inclined surfaces 33 and the `depression 32. The block37 is formed with a stem 38" whichl extends-lengthwise ofv the locking bolt and ha'sf'a squared portion which slides in a squared opening 40 in a cap41 screwed or otherwise secured to the end of the locking bolt. A coiled sprin '-12 surroundsl the stem 38 between lthe b ook 37 and the cap 41,1 this spring being under tension and constantly pressing the roller 36 toward the surf-aces 33 and depression 32. AThus in ther neutral position of the' parts,

the roller 36 is in the depressionv 32, as particularly shown in `Fig. .4, and it -yieldingly holds the arm 18 in neutral position. As soon as the arm is initially' moved `toward the gear shifting position such as that shown in dotted lines in Fig. al, the roller36 starts' to slide down one of the inclined surfaces 33 and thus assists in the movement ofthe' arm. Hence the .operator may simply start vse Having thus described my invention,-

what 'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ls 1 l I 1. In a gear shiftlng mechanism, 1n combinatlon, a casing havlng an opening, a

cover for said opening, shifter elements supported in the casing, and means supported in the cover for operating one and.. locking the other of said shifter elements, said means being movableto reverse the locking and shifting, and said means being removable and replaceable with thev cover withoutdisturbing either the means or the elements.

2. In a gear shifting mechanism, in combination, a casing having an opening, a cover for said opening, shifter elements supported in the casing, a'nd means supported in the cover for operating one and locking the other of said shifter elements said means being movable to reversethe locking and shifting operations, saidcover and means forming one unit and said casing and elements forming a second unit to yinsure the simultaneous assembling or disassembling of the means and elelnents as when the cover is being Imounted upon o1' removedv from the casing.

al arm 3'. Inagearshifting mechanism' in com binatip'm- 'a casingfhaving an'opening, a cover' frr s a'id opening, shifter elements 1n said cas ng-prov1ded wlth notches, a-shifter .enga esaid notches, locking means "also :mounted in said cover smd'mea-ns compris'- tiibullir bolt, said shifter arm extending throg'h 'said last named notch and projecting between the se arated lugs. whereby -sa1dlugs engageshi ter element notches at .eitherside of said shifter arm.` 4.1ma. gear shifting mechanism, in comlbina. tion,v a, casing, shifter rodsggin said cas i'ng provided with notches, a. cover for said 'casng, gr tubular locking bolt y'mounted to Z''o-- recprocate in said cover transversely of said frode;l separated Alocking lug's onsaid bolt adapted .to Aemgage said notches, said bolt havmg .a notch therethrough between sai-d vflugs', shiftermeans mounted to reciprocate z5 und oscilletezin said cover said means com- 1' prlsngV a segmental guide and an engaging ounted insaid cover and adapted to altubul'ar boltaving integral' lugsy "apted to enga-gethenotches in sanishifter v elements;- and I'se arated b y e4 notch in said 'arm angl a sprin A lockingmeans an adapted to-hold the arm lug" for the notches on said shifter rods, said gulde passing through the notch 1n said tu.-

billar bolt and said engaging lug being lso 'positioned that the lugs on said bolt engage the shifter rod notches.' at either side of said last 'named lug.

said casing parts forA operating said elements one ata time, means also mounted 1n said second casing part for locking against movement the elements not engaged by said device carried by said and its,` engaged shifter elements yieldingly away. from neutral position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 'in the presence of two witnesses. l

La Rot J. WILLIAMS, CLAIRJ. COTE. 

